This passage provides a fascinating glimpse into the
emotional life of the Apostle Paul.Some
may have an inclination to so deeply admire Paul that they diminish his obvious
humanity.Like all of us, the apostle
experienced seasons of distress, both physical and emotional (these two aspects
of human character are profoundly intertwined).With my reader’s gracious indulgence, this lesson “outline” will depart
a bit from the accustomed format.This
week, I trust we can explore the contours of Paul’s internal life, and, in
doing so, investigate our own attitudes in the Lord’s service.Of course, a simple description of Paul’s
struggles serves little purpose; therefore, we must probe the passage for the
manner in which the apostle dealt with his struggles

Loneliness: Paul
employed striking language to express his longing to see the
Thessalonians.“Being taken from you”
(v. 17) translates a word that means to be orphaned (ESV says “torn away
from”).Many orphaned children roamed
the streets of cities in the Mediterranean world.No doubt, Paul had seen many of these
children in Athens and Corinth.These desperate children had little chance for survival, left to their
own devices, and the apostle used this familiar imagery to express his sense of
isolation from the Thessalonians.

Recently I reviewed a film about the horrific bloodshed
during the civil war in Sierra
Leone.Political insurgents, hoping to control the lucrative diamond industry,terrorized the countryside; killing,
pillaging, and raping the helpless.The
violence separated thousands of children from their parents.Cholera-ridden refugee camps teemed with
displaced families searching desperately for loved ones.The rebel forces often kidnapped boys and
brainwashed the children to become cold-blooded killers, sometimes murdering
their own family members.I cannot
adequately describe the anguish I felt as I observed the filmmakers’ efforts to
capture the unspeakable anguish in Sierra Leone.Perhaps Paul felt something of this kind of desolation
in his separation from his spiritual children.

Frustration: Again
and again, Paul had made efforts to reconnect with his friends in Thessalonica,
but Satan frustrated the apostle’s best intentions.He sought this reunion “eagerly” and “with
great desire.”“Epithumia” (“great
desire”) is often used in the New Testament to describe lust or covetousness,
but here, Paul used the term to reflect his deep passion for seeing his
friends. Unmistakably, Paul laid the blame for his frustration at the feet of
Satan.

Modern readers may recoil from this reference to a malignant
spiritual being who frustrates the intentions of good men, but Paul’s belief in
Satan cannot be denied.The text doesn’t
reveal how Satan hindered Paul.Some
think the apostle was stricken with some illness, while others have speculated
that the political situation in Macedonia
may have prevented Paul’s travel.In the
end, we cannot know what prevented the apostle from reuniting with the
believers in Thessalonica, but Paul believed Satan was at the root of the
problem..

At the end of this paragraph, Paul revealed the remedy for
loneliness and frustration.He took
consolation in the character of those who had benefited from his ministry.Like any person, Paul was not immune to the
temptation to feel that his work had borne little fruit, but churches, like
that in Thessalonica, salved Paul’s troubled heart.As long as they continued to grow in the
faith, the Lord’s servant knew he had not wasted his life.The Thessalonian believers were his hope,
joy, and crown.

Dear friends, do you understand the important role you play
in encouraging those who preach the gospel to you?The measure of their success rests in the
love and spiritual growth of you who profit from their tireless labor in the
word. Does your pastor see you as his glory and joy?

Affliction: Chapter
Three focuses on Paul’s suffering as a missionary.Shortly after Paul’s conversion, a man named
Ananias told the apostle that he would suffer great things for the sake of
God’s name (See Acts 9:16), and the Lord had remained true to his promise!At almost every turn, the apostle experienced
great hardship in his gospel labors: imprisonment, stoning, murderous riots,
beatings, and scourgings. The Thessalonians had first-hand evidence of the
truth of Paul’s observations about suffering.This passage reveals that the apostle felt the sting of these
persecutions.He was no dispassionate,
robotic, Stoic; rather, he keenly anguished over the physical and emotional
pain he experienced, especially at the hands of his own people.Above all, he feared that his circumstances
might discourage his friends.Surely, in
time, they too would experience persecution, and the prospect of suffering may
have tempted some to turn from the gospel.Paul, some time before he wrote this letter, sent Timothy to affirm the
faith of the Thessalonians (See 3:5f)

Conclusion:The last few verses of Chapter Three (vv.
6-13) give insight into Paul’s manner of dealing with the loneliness,
frustration, and affliction he experienced and God’s people, of every
generation, would be wise to follow the apostle’s example.

Gratitude
(vv 6-9): At long last, Timothy had returned to Paul to give a good report
on the progress of the Lord’s work in Thessalonica.The believers loved and prayed for Paul,
and they stood fast in the faith.Many times, the burden of our afflictions will lighten in the
presence of thanksgiving. God did not shield Paul from affliction and
distress (both words denote pressure, crushing weight, choking by
pressure), but the Lord did encourage Paul in his hardships.

Prayerfulness
(vv. 10-13): The apostle prayed earnestly (word denotes abundant prayer)
and continuously (“day and night”) for his friends.In particular, he asked God for an
opportunity to fill up what was lacking in their faith. Recall that Paul
had only spent a short time with the Thessalonians (about three weeks),
and they had much to learn about the Christian faith. Paul wanted to aid
these dear folks in their understanding of the gospel and its implications
for their worship and conduct.With
that end in mind, he continually prayed that God would again direct his
path to his brethren.He also
petitioned the Lord for their growth in love and holiness.Note that the text makes clear that
holiness of conduct arises from a blameless heart (See v. 13).Finally, Paul directed their attention
to the return of Jesus, at the end of the age.

A Personal Word

I hope all of you will indulge me for a moment as I do some
reflection about the last four and a half years.I began writing these little outlines in
August, 2004, and I have no words to adequately express my gratitude to the
Founders folks for giving me this opportunity.Frankly, this work has helped me in my discipline of studying the
Bible.

This week’s lesson reminds me of my need to grow in my
appreciation of the Lord’s blessings, and you folk bless me.Sometimes I hear from my readers, and the
messages you send almost always encourage me.In fact, I have developed and deepened some friendships through
corresponding with you (Bob and Al, I especially appreciate your friendship and
helpfulness).

I appreciate the work many of you do in Bible classes in
your local churches.Hopefully, your
classes express their gratitude for your selfless, sacrificial labors, in their
behalf. May the Lord bless each of you with great fruitfulness in your labors
for the Kingdom
of God.Southern Baptists have many areas where we
need to grow (I write as a life-long Southern Baptist and the son of a Baptist
preacher), but we do some things very well.In particular, I rejoice that our churches give opportunity to capable
people to teach the Bible.Keep up the
good work.

Also, I am grateful for our textbook, the Bible.Frankly, the Scriptures puzzle me at times,
and I certainly do not claim any remarkable knowledge or insight into its
mysteries and riches.Nevertheless, I
have found these studies very helpful.The
Bible serves as reliable, authoritative source of spiritual insight, wisdom,
and direction, and it continually challenges me to think more clearly and walk
more blamelessly (got a long way to go on this).

Next, I want to express my appreciation again to the
Founders folks for giving me his opportunity.These men serve as good examples of pastoral leadership and have helped
many in the quest to grow in an understanding of the gospel.In particular, I want to thank Tom Nettles
and Bill Ascol for their encouragement and support of my work.Stan Reeves works tirelessly, despite a heavy
teaching schedule, to administer the Founders website.Thanks, Stan.All of us owe a debt of gratitude, and I’m very thankful for your
patience and helpfulness.

Above all, I thank the Lord for this opportunity.Frankly, I know many people could write these
outlines with greater wisdom and insight than I possess; nevertheless, God has
given me the privilege of completing this work, and I rejoice in the
blessing.He has blessed me despite
myself, in his warm, patient grace.

I write these words on Christmas Eve and thoughts of the
wonder of the incarnation fill my heart.You folks are a gift to me.May
the Lord bless all of you with a wonderful Christmas season.